Abbas-qoli Khan () was a 17th-century
Safavid
The Guarded Domains of Iran, commonly called Safavid Iran, Safavid Persia or the Safavid Empire, was one of the largest and longest-lasting Iranian empires. It was ruled from 1501 to 1736 by the Safavid dynasty. It is often considered the begi ...
official in the eastern
Caucasus
The Caucasus () or Caucasia (), is a region spanning Eastern Europe and Western Asia. It is situated between the Black Sea and the Caspian Sea, comprising parts of Southern Russia, Georgia, Armenia, and Azerbaijan. The Caucasus Mountains, i ...
.
Abbās-qoli Khan, known for his wealth and opulence, had served as
beglarbeg
''Beylerbey'' (, meaning the 'commander of commanders' or 'lord of lords’, sometimes rendered governor-general) was a high rank in the western Islamic world in the late Middle Ages and early modern period, from the Anatolian Seljuks and the Ilk ...
of
Ganja
''Ganja'' (, ; ) is one of the oldest and most commonly used synonyms for cannabis flower, specifically marijuana or hashish. Its usage in English dates to before 1689.
Etymology
''Ganja'' is borrowed from Hindi (, IPA: �aːɲd͡ʒa� ...
under the shah
Suleiman I of Persia
Suleiman I (; born Sam Mirza, February or March 1648 – 29 July 1694) was the eighth Shah of Safavid Iran from 1666 to 1694. He was the eldest son of Abbas II and his concubine, Nakihat Khanum. Born as Sam Mirza, Suleiman spent his childhood ...
before being appointed as
khan
Khan may refer to:
* Khan (surname), including a list of people with the name
* Khan (title), a royal title for a ruler in Mongol and Turkic languages and used by various ethnicities
Art and entertainment
* Khan (band), an English progressiv ...
of
Kakheti
Kakheti (; ) is a region of Georgia. Telavi is its administrative center. The region comprises eight administrative districts: Telavi, Gurjaani, Qvareli, Sagarejo, Dedoplistsqaro, Signagi, Lagodekhi and Akhmeta.
Kakhetians speak the ...
in eastern Georgia in 1688. Residing at Qara-Aghac in Kakheti, Abbās-qoli Khan was tasked with keeping an eye on
Heraclius I
Heraclius (; 11 February 641) was Byzantine emperor from 610 to 641. His rise to power began in 608, when he and his father, Heraclius the Elder, the Exarch of Africa, led a revolt against the unpopular emperor Phocas.
Heraclius's reign was ...
(Nazar Ali Khan), a vassal Georgian ruler of neighboring
Kartli
Kartli ( ka, ქართლი ) is a historical region in central-to-eastern Georgia traversed by the river Mtkvari (Kura), on which Georgia's capital, Tbilisi, is situated. Known to the Classical authors as Iberia, Kartli played a crucial rol ...
, who had been opposed by
George XI (Gorjin Khan). Abbas-qoli Khan's fortunes reversed as George was able to stage comeback and place Heraclius under siege at
Tiflis
Tbilisi ( ; ka, თბილისი, ), in some languages still known by its pre-1936 name Tiflis ( ), ( ka, ტფილისი, tr ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Georgia (country), largest city of Georgia ( ...
in 1691. In 1694, following the death of Shah Suleiman, the khan was accused by his rivals of incompetence and intriguing with George XI against Heraclius I. At the order of Shah
Sultan Husayn
Soltan Hoseyn (; 1668 – 9 September 1727) was the Safavid shah of Iran from 1694 to 1722. He was the son and successor of Shah Suleiman ().
Born and raised in the royal harem, Soltan Hoseyn ascended the throne with limited life experience a ...
, Heraclius arrested Abbas-qoli Khan, confiscated his possessions, and escorted him under guard to
Isfahan
Isfahan or Esfahan ( ) is a city in the Central District (Isfahan County), Central District of Isfahan County, Isfahan province, Iran. It is the capital of the province, the county, and the district. It is located south of Tehran. The city ...
. The government of Kakheti was taken over by his brother
Qalb-Ali Khan. Abbas-qoli Khan's later fate is not recorded.
See also
*
Ughurlu Khan I
*
Ganja Khanate
*
Safavid Karabakh
The province of Karabakh (also spelled Qarabagh; ) was a north-western province of the Safavid Iran, centered on the geographic region of Karabakh.
The governorship of Karabakh was generally held by a member of the Qajars, one of the Qizilbash tr ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Abbas-qoli Khan
Safavid governors of Ganja
Safavid governors of Kakheti
17th-century people from Safavid Iran